Chelsea are set to meet with new manager Xabi Alonso before attempting to sign the Sunderland star following talks with an agent, according to a new report.
Xabi Alonso is keen to be involved in Chelsea's transfer plans
Alonso has yet to officially start work, and won't until July 1, but his fingerprints are already being felt at Stamford Bridge.
As Fabrizio Romano reported at the weekend, the newly confirmed Chelsea boss will be heavily involved in planning the club's summer transfers – a significant departure from the approach taken by previous coaches, who were often introduced by signing instead of negotiating with them.
Alonso's four-year contract, announced on Sunday and running until June 2030, has more weight in the dugout.
He has been given the title of manager instead of head coach, and the expectation is that no major deal will go through without his signature.
Chelsea planning £50m move for Premier League star Alonso
The Blues are looking for an “exciting” star.
That flexibility is soon to be tested.
According to reliable journalist Simon Phillips, Chelsea are planning to overhaul their shock options this summer, with at least two top players expected to leave and a new number nine at the top of the shopping list.
Both Liam Delap and Marc Guiu are expected to move on – sold outright or on loan with purchase options attached – while Joao Pedro's future remains a live topic despite the club's insistence he is not for sale.
Barcelona have continued to surround the Brazilian regardless of Chelsea's social status, with Pedro reportedly telling his agents that a move to the Camp Nou would be difficult to turn down.
With the exit expected, Chelsea's recruitment team have been drawing up a shortlist of potential replacements – and one name that has emerged is Brian Brobbey.
Chelsea are waiting for Xabi Alonso to leave the bright Brian Brobbey
Phillips reports that Chelsea have already made contact with representatives of the Sunderland striker, who joined the Black Cats from Ajax last September for an initial fee of around £17m.
It has been a consistent first season in English football for the Netherlands international, with seven goals and one assist in 30 Premier League appearances for a Sunderland side that made a surprise European push.
The numbers don't jump off the page, but Brobbey's qualities go beyond raw stats.
At 5ft 10in, he is not the tallest centre-forward, but his physical strength, explosive acceleration and ability to run channels make him a handful for any defence.
He was named Ajax's player of the year in 2023/24 after scoring 22 goals in 43 games in all competitions, and was part of the Netherlands team that reached the semi-finals of Euro 2024 in Germany.
His first Premier League goal – an equalizer against Arsenal in November – provided a glimpse of the composure and intensity of the big game that attracted Sunderland in the first place.
Phillips insists that the names being circulated at the moment – Brobbey among them – are not the targets requested by Alonso himself.
It is still early days, and the Spaniard has not yet had time to assess the team in detail, let alone compile his wish list. But most importantly, Chelsea will not move any of these players, including Brobbey, unless Alonso clears the contract first.
That is the new reality at Stamford Bridge, and it represents a significant change in the way the club operates.
Sunderland were not going to be keen marketers. Brobbey has three years left on his contract and is a key part of Regis Le Bris' side as they look to build on a promising first season back in the top flight.
Any move from Chelsea would need to be massive to even open a conversation.
Whether Alonso ultimately decides that Brobbey fits his vision for the team remains to be seen, but the connections have been made, the groundwork is being laid, and the summer window is about to get very busy.
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